Cellophane strip position between asphalt roof shingles: where is the cellophane glue-strip protector when asphalt shingles are in the shingle package, and where does this cellophane strip go when the roof shingles are installed.

Lots of roofers, homeowners, readers, and inspectors have been befuddled by the mystery of why manufacturers and other experts say "leave the cellophane strips alone". Aren't they in the way? Won't they prevent the shingle tabs from sealing down against wind-uplift? And if not, where do these mysterious slippery slips slide-to when shingles are slapped onto the roof?

Here's the answer.

Confusion About What Happens to The Cellophane Strip on Asphalt Shingle Backs

Our photo (left) shows the cellophane strip found on the back or "down"
side of a typical asphalt roof shingle. This one is a GAF™ product.

[Click to enlarge any image]

Reader Question: so what happens to the plastic or cellophane strip? If we knew we might stop arguing about whether to remove the strip from shingles or not

[In the article above] you really should include an explanation from someone about what happens to the cellophane strip in the normal adhesion process. Does it break down and allow direct contact? Does it react with the sealant allowing the sealant to pass through?

Does the sealant simply flow around the strip to achieve adhesion? A proper understanding of any process is key to once-and-for-all removing doubt as to the correct interpretation of a procedure. Someone must know how this works. - D.C. 6/13/2013

Reply: the sealant protection strip is offset from the adhesive strip when the shingles are nailed in place - they no longer touch: leave the sealant strip in place

I certainly appreciate your comment and agree that your question is one that many people ponder. I thought we'd driven the nail in the coffin of this debate by citing the manufacturer's advice above, but your comment is a reminder that we never explained just what happens to the cellophane or "plastic" strip - if anything does happen for that matter.

The reason that some e.g. my FL buddies think the strips should be removed is that they're worried about wind blow-off either because of a windstorm before the shingles have sealed (more likely in areas or weather of little sun and low temperatures) or because they fear the factory stick-down sealant strip is inadequate and are trying to improve its performance.

Interesting that GAF and others respond to the early damage or high wind damage NOT by telling anyone to tear off the strips but to add mastic at each shingle tab to increase the total amount of bonding material.

I figure if the people who put the strips there thought the adhesive would bond better by pulling it off at time of shingle installation they would advise doing so in problem or high risk situations. They don't.

Nevertheless you're right, we'd like a clear explanation, and we've got one from GAF.

The company explains that the plastic sealant protection strip is not biodegradable, does not dissolve, melt or anything else. [We add that this means if you could pull off these strips, against the instructions of the manufacturer, you're creating a mess of stuff blowing all over the site: debris that does not magically disappear on its own.

The placement of the asphalt shingle sealant protection strip is the key.

GAF explains that when shingles are in the bundle the plastic (or "cellophane") strip on the underside of a shingle surface is positioned so that it prevents sticking of that shingle to the self-sealing adhesive on the upper surface of the shingle beneath.

But when the roof shingles are installed according to specifications, the location of successive shingle courses will make sure that the stick-preventing plastic strip (bonded to the underside of a shingle) will be offset from the actual location of the sealing adhesive of the shingle course below.

You can see this by noticing where the adhesive strips are in an installed asphalt shingle roof in our illustration (above left).

On the topmost shingle in our illustration, the cellophane strip on that shingle would be on the shingle underside exactly the same distance from the shingle top as is the adhesive strip on that shingle - placing the strip a good 4-inches above the adhesive strip on the course below.

Here is how GAF explains the release strip found between asphalt roofing shingles:

Modern asphalt shingles utilize aggressive asphalt sealant bars or strips to adhere or seal the shingle courses to each other, thereby enhancing wind resistance. During installation, each row of shingles is offset from the prior one and the one above it, which results in the release film being offset. Unlike in the bundle, the release film is no longer positioned over the shingle’s sealant bars or strips.
 
There is no need to remove this film. It should not be removed. DO NOT attempt to torch it off or melt it in any way.

So there is no need to remove the plastic/cellophane strip and further, it should not be removed. Why not? Well in some cases tearing off the strip may remove shingle material, thus damaging the shingle and reducing its life.

In any event, the guideline on leaving the strip in place is clear and unequivocal. Let's hope that with GAF's help we've driven a nail into this popular roofing legend.  GAF Technical services can be contacted online or by telephone as we cite in our references below.[8][9]

See CRACKS & THERMAL SPLITTING in FIBERGLASS SHINGLES

Reader Question: determine shingle age from presence of paper-type shingle release strips?

8/19/2014 Matt S said:

I was inspecting a roof the other day, and I found that the strip was made with a paper product (not plastic or cellophane). The roof appeared to be old; however I am unable to verify due to lack of knowledge of the homeowner and the lack of building permits. Would the paper strip help to speak to the age of the shingle? In other words, was there a time when they transitioned from paper to cellophane? Thanks.

Reply:

Matt that's a very interesting observation. I've installed a few roofs, dating back more than 20 years, without encountering a paper release strip for the adhesive tabs - so the variation may be as much by brand as by age.

These patent disclosures refer to paper release strips on asphalt shingle adhesive spots. The description typically is a silicone-treated paper rather than cellophane.

• Bondoc, Alfredo A., Duane A. Davis, Stanley P. Frankoski, and Bruno E. Magnus. "Asphalt shingle." U.S. Patent 4,717,614, issued January 5, 1988.
• Kalkanoglu, Husnu M., Robert L. Jenkins, and Stephen A. Koch. "Shingle with improved blow-off resistance." U.S. Patent 6,758,019, issued July 6, 2004.
• Robinson, Norman M. "Adhesive arrangement for shingles and the like." U.S. Patent 5,239,802, issued August 31, 1993.

You'll see the years span quite a range, at least from 1988 through 2004. I *suspect* that the reason we see more cellophane than silicone-treated paper release strips is that should a segment of cellophane escape and show on the finished roof it will break down more quickly and be less visible than its paper cousin.

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Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

On 2018-04-16 - by (mod) -

Judy my best information on the cellophane strip used under asphalt shingles is in the article above on this page. Please take a look at the comments about leaving that strip alone.

Of course if the strips have come loose and are poking out of the shingles the strip can be pulled away. Do not try nailing down cellophane strips.

On 2018-04-16 by Judy

Why is the lastic strip fly out from under the roof ? Is that normal, or problem with instalation. Shpuld it be naild down where the strips are?

Question: why are there glue strips or spots on asphalt shingles ?

(Apr 2, 2014) Pat said:

I have installed the shingles on my house and removed the cellophane and in the 20 years since then I have not lost one shingle. I moved to a senior housing development and the roofs here are 14 years old and low and behold we had a wind storm and shingles are all over the place along with the cellophane and now a contractor is going to try to sell us to replace all the houses that were not damaged to get new roofs. What ever happened to 20 or 25 year shingles?

Why put the glue strips in the first place?

Reply:

Pat, the glue strips are there to allow the single taps of each upper course to bond to the lower course (with a bit of time and heat from the sun). This bonding in turn prevents wind-damage that otherwise lifts the shingle tabs and blows them off of the roof.

The people with the most at stake in this argument are the roofing manufacturers- we should follow their advice.

Leave the cellophane or paper release strip in place; it's not interfering with bonding, it's job is to prevent the shingles from sticking together while still in the bundle. When the shingles are installed in offset courses up the roof the release strip stuck to the under-side of an individual roof shingle is no longer covering the wind-uplift-damage-prevention glue spots or strips that are exposed on the upper surface of the shingle in the course below.

This is of course a separate question from your last sentence.

Question: reader finds experts confirm: leave the release strips in place but still disagrees

(June 20, 2014) Mike O said:

I called the Roofers Union and they backed up the contractor and said leave the cellophane on.
It will disinigrate ( like his brain )
The dumbest statement that I ever heard was next:
The cellophane is for shipping. What a moron. So what he just said to me is that the tar was
placed on the shingle TO HOLD THE CELLOPHANE IN PLACE!!!!!!
That's called "Back up the *** roofer"
THE REAL STORY IS THE TAR was put on the shingle to give it added strength and the cellophane was placed on the tar to prevent them from sticking to each other. STICKING key word The tar strip
is there to give STICKING POWER TO THE SHINGLE and stop them from lifting so rain can get in under them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have had my roof since 1999 and only 5 shingles blew off and they were the 5 shingles that still
had the cellophane on them.

Reply:

Mike, we have researched this question with great care to find and cite authoritative sources and to put the arm waving speculation.

The article above gives correct information.

Please take another look and let me know if anything you see there is unclear.

1. The glue strips or spots on shingles are there to bond down the tabs of the next upper shingle course to protect against wind-uplift damage. The release strips, once the subsequent shingle course is nailed in place, are no longer atop the glue strips on the shingle in the lower course. We leave the release strips in place because
2. The cellophane or silicone-treated paper release strips on the shingle under-side are doing no harm
3. The cellophane or silicone-treated paper release strips on the shingle under-side are not in the way of the now-exposed glue strips found on the upper surface of the shingle course below.
4. There is risk of shingle damage if you pull these release strips off

Question: reader doesn't understand that staggered shingle courses eliminate release-strip worries

(June 21, 2014) Anonymous said:

Try this simple logic: The manufacturer wouldn't have put the goo on the shingle unless it was going to be used to stick to another shingle. Obviously the cellophane strip is to keep it from sticking to other shingles while in transit. The only unanswered question is: Does the cellophane dissolve swiftly after installed, presumably due to the heat of the sun? If yes,the goo would be allowed to serve its purpose - eventually.

How long or what minimum heat does it take to dissolve the cellophane? If the cellophane does not dissolve, the goo was put on for no reason whatsoever. If it does dissolve, removing the cellophane manually allows quicker sealing of the goo to the underlying shingle. In not taking the time to remove the cellophane on installation, the installer is gambling that a high wind won't occur before the tape dissolves.

I presume also that, if the cellophane is removed, it opens up a lot of opportunities to touch down the shingle a bit crooked, probably without the ability to lift it back up and straighten it. That is another cost factor - lost time and damaged shingles.

Reply:

Simple but mistaken logic. Please read the article above. You'll see that at installation the self-adhesive tar strips and the cellophane strips remain nowhere near one another once the shingles are installed - see the arrows on our illustration, and also that forced tearing off of the cellophane is not recommended by the manufacturer, in part because doing so can cause shingle damage.

Question: reader questions why there is sticky stuff on the underside of the shingle

(July 30, 2014) pete ianuzzi said:

so why is there sticky stuff on the bottom, just to hold the cellophane tape in place?? and did mfr.'s original require you to remove this seal. I seem to remember reading that in the small print many years ago...40+years ago

Reply:

of course not Pete

The functional sticky stuff is the sealant that is present on the upper surface of the shingle in the course below. That sealant is heated by the sun, sealing the next upper course shingle tabs down on to the lower course of shingles.

A small amount of adhesive between the release strip (cellophane or silicone impregnated paper strips) holds the release strip in place bonded out of the way to the underside of the next upper course of shingles. It's not in the way and should be left in place.

Question: reader doesn't understand glue strips, shingle course offset, and does not agree with instructions from the shingle manufacturer

(Aug 8, 2014) Anonymous said:

I just read an article at Inspectapedia.com/roof/shingle....Anonymous below is correct!!!!! Although they go on to
say the bottom line is "NO" you do not need to remove it...There IS a "YES" argument....The YES argument makes more sense
then DanJoeFriedman.....The YES indicates that in high wind areas or areas subject to High WInds and Heavy rains, or if the roof was laid in cooler weather, the cellophane probably will not disintegrate immediately thus allowing dirt or
particles to get under the shingle which MAY NEVER SEAL PROPERLY. IN ADDITION TO REMOVING THE CELLOPHANE, IT IS NOT A BAD IDEA TO APPLY EXTRA SEALANT!

ROOFERS don't want to remove it because of 2 reasons....it takes too long AND if your working like a mad man
and just throwing them down, there is a chance that a misalignment would have to be redone and a shingle wasted.

ITS ALL ABOUT THE $

Reply:

Anonymous

One simply cannot imagine any economic benefit to roofing shingle manufacturers that would accrue from your argument.

But you are part of a considerable group of folks who have trouble picturing where the release strip ends up and where the actual glue strips or spots end up as shingles are placed on the roof. Check out the photo with arrows in the article above and you'll see why leaving the release strip alone is harmless and is recommended.

I should add that in a few instances we have actually seen shingles damaged by the pulling off of the cellophane strip.

Bottom line: remember that the manufacturers have a lot at stake in the successful installation and life of their product. While there may be some arguable compromises on product quality, life, warranty and other worries, following the roof shingle manufacturer's own instructions on how their product should be installed is the smartest approach to roofing.

It is unfortunate that so many people are confused about the cellophane strips and roof shingle tab sealant, particularly as the manufacturers and other experts have written so clearly on the matter. What we have published on this matter is hardly personal opinion. It's researched and cites authorities on the topic.

You are mistaken in your "all about money" claim in this case - the manufacturers don't make any more money with or without cellophane strip removal, but they do know what leads to product success or product failure - which is of great import, and which is why shingle tab sealant is provided in the first place - to protect against wind uplift.

It would appear that your confusion and that of some other readers stems from failure to notice that when shingles are taken out of a bundle (in which the cellophane on an upper shingle's underside prevents it from adhering to the adhesive tabs on the upper surface of a shingle below), and then placed onto the roof in successive courses, the underside of the upper shingle is a good 4-6 inches higher up-roof (depending on the shingle exposure) than the tab adhesive spots of the shingle below.

Thus the cellophane, left in place as the shingles are installed, is now here near the sealant tabs so it can not interfere with shingle adhesion.

Take a look at the annotated photograph just above in this article and you can see that shingle layout.

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